Note: In these solutions, those moves that
were required are given in bold type. All else is given for the
sake of completeness and for the interest of solvers. The symbol
'S' is used for knight and threats are given in parentheses.
1) William L. Barclay
HM., Chess Life , 1967
Mate in 2
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2) S. Krjutskov
2nd HM., Shakhmaty v SSSR , 1939
Mate in 3
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1.Rb7! (2.Rd4+ Kxe5 3.Qh8#)
1..Rf1 2.Qxg2+ Rf3 3.Qxf3#
1..Kxd5 2.Rb5+ Kc6/Ke4 3.Bd7/Qh7#
1..Sc6 2.Qh7+ Kxd5 3.Rb5#
(1.5 > 2.5 > 4 > 5)
3) Leonid Zagoruiko
2nd Prize, Shakhmaty v SSSR , 1947
Mate in 3
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1.Qe4! (2.Sxc6+ & 3.Qxd5#)
1...Kb5 2.Qb1+ Kc5 3.Qb4#
1...Kd6 2.Sxg6+ Ke6 3.Qxf5#
1...dxe4 2.S7xf5+ Kb5/Bd6 3.Sxd4/Sg3#
1...fxe4 2.S7xd5+ Kb5/Bd6 3.Sc7/Sf4#
1...Bd6 2.Qb1 & 3.Qb4#
1...Bf7 2.Qc2+ Kd6(b5) 3.Qxc6#
(1 > 1.5 > 2 > 3 > 3.5 > 4.5 > 5)
4) Petko Petkov
Shakhmatna Misl , 1989
Mate in 4
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1.Bf6!
(2.Re5+ Kd4 3.Re1+ Kd5(gxf6) 4.Rxd1#) (1)
1...Rf1+ 2.Kxf1 Bxc5 3.Red2+ Bd4 4.Rxd4# (1)
1...gxf6 2.Sxf6+ Kd4 3.Re4+ Kd3 4.Rec4# (1)
1...Bxc5+ 2.Rxc5+ Kd6 3.Be5+ Ke7 4.Bc7# (1)
1...Bd6 2.Be4+ Ke6 3.Bxc6+ Kf5/Be5 4.Bd7/Rxe5# (1)
5) Alois Johandl
Comm., Schach , 1989
Mate in 7
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1.Kh5! (2.Rg8+ Kf7 3.Rf8#)
1...Be2+ 2.f3 (3.Bd7#)
Bxf3+ 3.Kh4 (4.Bd7#)
Sc5(b8) 4.Bd7+ Sxd7 5.Sc8 (6.Rxe7#)
Sc6 6.Rxe7+ Sxe7 7.Sxd6# (5)
6) S. Osintsev
Die Schwalbe , 2005
White to play and win
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1.Rc2+ (1) Kd1 2.Ra2 (1) c2 3.Bxc2+ Ke2 4.Bd1+ (1) Kxd1
5.Ra6! (1) Ke2 6.Rg6 Kf2 7.d6 Sb3 8.d7 Sc5
9.d8Q Se6+ 10.Rxe6 (1)
7) Vukota Nikoletic
Suomen Tehäväniekat , 2001
Selfmate in 4
Show solution
1.Rb3!
(2.e4+ Kd4 3.Sc6+ Rxc6 4.Qf6+ Rxf6#)
1...Sf3 2.Rd3+ Sd4 3.Qf5+ Re5 4.Bxa3 Rxf5#
1...Sc4 2.Rd7+ Sd6 3.Bc4+ Kc5 4.Se4+ Rxe4#
(1.5 >3.5 > 5)
8) A. Semenenko
3rd HM., Schiffmann-100 MT, 2004
Helpmate in 3
Show solution
1.Qe2 Sd6 2.Rc7+ Kb4 3.Rc2 Sc4# (2.5)
1.Bf5 Se7 2.Ke4 Re8 3.R7d3 Sd5# (2.5)
